Children and youth — the Floridians of the future — were the focus of a recent Florida State University event that united faculty around shared interests for interdisciplinary research.
The FSU Office of Research Development (ORD) hosted the recent Collaborative Collision seminar as part of FSU Discovery Days. Attendees were invited to consider the diverse experiences that shape childhood and to form partnerships that advance research dedicated to their well-being.
“This event is meant to bring together research champions from across disciplines to further enhance FSU’s positive impact on young people in our communities,” said Nicole Viverito, ORD program director. “Regardless of the field of study, our researchers are dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth through evidence-based programs and services.”
Aligned with ASPIRE, FSU’s strategic research plan, the event reflected the university’s cross-cutting theme of the human experience — placing people as an important part of the university’s research mission. By focusing on the challenges facing the next generation, participants explored how interdisciplinary partnerships can transform ideas into meaningful, evidence-based solutions that strengthen families and communities.
FSU is home to several institutes and centers dedicated to advancing child welfare, including the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, the Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases and the National Institute for Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy, among others. Together, these initiatives reflect the depth and breadth of FSU’s commitment to improving outcomes for children and families across the state and beyond.
The morning began with opening remarks, followed by an hour of thematic roundtable discussions. The roundtable discussions focused on various topics including child development, research methods and technologies, family dynamics, policy and institutions, workforce and professional development and community partnerships.
Ciele Knox, training and development coordinator for the National Institute for Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy, recognized FSU’s role in helping music therapy expand throughout Tallahassee and beyond.
“They’ve helped fund a lot of the staff that we’ve had at TMH to help with that partnership and in providing events like this, they allow us with more opportunities to build connections to build a greater collaborative approach within the community,” Knox said.
Knox’s role involves connecting music therapists with other researchers with her area of expertise in NICU music therapy.
“Today, I found a lot of community partners that can help integrate music therapy as well as raising more awareness about how we can collaborate as a community to best serve both children and families,” she said.
Following these discussions, ORD introduced Collaborative Collision LaunchPad, which allows new research teams to compete for up to $25,000 in support of interdisciplinary pilot projects. Co-sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research and the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, this opportunity will fund up to four new collaborations this year.
The event concluded with an open networking session, offering attendees the chance to brainstorm project ideas and build new interdisciplinary partnerships aimed at improving outcomes for children and youth.
Visit the FSU Research Development website for more information on the Collaborative Collision: Children & Youth event or to view details of the LaunchPad funding opportunity.